This guy Beels has heard lots of nicknames

I called my buddy KP. That’s short for Kingpin, a nickname he was given three decades ago. And as we golfed virtually, ate burgers and drank drafts, KP called me Beels. That’s a nickname that’s stood through decades, too. But it certainly wasn’t my first nickname. When I was of soft-cereal age, there used to…

A community is welcome to appreciate art at La Casita

Artist Abisay Puentes says he changed the concept several times as the deadline approached for the opening of his exhibit “Mist.” On opening night last week in the newly refurbished La Casita in Syracuse, N.Y., community members slowly walked past his final result. It was an interesting display. Part mural, part gallery. The native of…

Forecaster says one more snow, but I look for spring anyway

The Syracuse TV station weather guy said Wednesday morning shall bring one last snow. He called it the last gasp of winter, as a matter of fact. I hope so. As I walked with Ellie B, aka Dogamous Pyle, this afternoon prior to the last snowy hurrah, I kept my eyes open for any signs…

1,600 runners, 17 degrees, and 13.1 miles of snowy Syracuse streets

The runners for the second edition of the Syracuse Half Marathon this morning were greeted by 13.1 miles of city streets that had been kissed with a a spring layer of snow during the wee hours. The temperature was 17 degrees. And yet they came fast, strong and bundled pretty good against those elements, streaming…

The 13.1 miles includes .1 past our house

They will come thundering down our city Syracuse neighborhood hill again Sunday. The runners participating in the second edition of the Syracuse Half Marathon are sure to be a colorful bunch. Cold, too. Forecasts right now are for high temperatures in the 20s. About 1,600 runners have signed up to log the 13.1 miles that…

Fallen firefighter Bobby Beddia discovered the magical match of birth year, age

All the views stacking up daily on my post about being born in 1957 and turning 57 this year got me to searching again today. And this morning I came up with a new and exciting hit. The site greetingcarduniverse.com is offering cards for this year, complete with a name. It’s the year of the…

So many additions to the home and garden dream list

It’s a project in its own right to weed out all the possible work that can await your home and garden. Last weekend, my dear wife Karen and I took the short drive to the New York State Fairgrounds to take in the wonders of the annual Syracuse Home and Garden Show. This baby has…

Ellie darling, it’s been a long, cold lonely winter

Three days ’til spring. I can’t tell who’s getting more antsy for winter to leave, Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle or this guy on the holding end of the leash. With the temperature creeping up — I can’t believe weather sites say it’s 31 degrees right now in Syracuse, N.Y., because it feels at least…

Going green just because she can

Sometimes you’ve got to search long and hard to find somebody you think is fully intoxicated by the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day without being fully … well, without being drunk. Yesterday in Syracuse, all I had to do was drive to the neighborhood Rite Aide drug store. My mission was to buy a bottle…

Miranda Sings promotes a beautiful comedy hook

The poster for Miranda Sings literally stopped me dead. I had to gawk. I had to circle. I had to snap the picture outside the Funny Bone comedy club in Syracuse’s mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex Destiny USA. Nobody said standup comics have to be among the most gorgeous among us, right, Roseanne? But,…